Author: Festus Adeloye

A three-storey building has collapsed in the Lekki area of Lagos, with two persons reported dead and six rescued so far. The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. Oke-Osanyintolu, who said the immediate cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained, added that further investigations will be conducted. “So far, two adult males have been extricated from the rubbles of the collapsed building. Six seriously injured adult males were rescued and were administered immediate medical care by the LRU Pre-Hospital Care Unit, before being transported…

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions has dismissed a petition bordering on sexual harassment filed by the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Neda Imasuen, stated this on Wednesday during a probe hearing against Akpoti-Uduaghan at the National Assembly. The Edo South Senator stated that the petition was “dead on arrival,” citing a breach of Order 40 of the Senate Standing Order. According to Imasuen, Akpoti-Uduaghan signed the petition herself instead of having it endorsed by another individual, rendering it procedurally invalid. The Edo…

Tesla sales in Germany recorded another drop last month, official data showed Wednesday, after billionaire owner Elon Musk vocally backed the far-right AfD during the country’s recent election campaign. Just 1,429 of the US group’s electric vehicles were registered in Europe’s biggest auto market in February, down over 76 percent year-on-year, the KBA federal transport authority said. Sales of Teslas had already plunged by almost 60 percent in January after Musk’s intervention in German politics. Over the first two months of 2025 the group’s sales in Germany were down 70 percent. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) recorded a historic…

Former Presidential Candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has paid glowing tribute to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on his 88th birthday, describing him as a “towering figure in Nigeria’s history” and a global statesman whose impact transcends generations. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was born on 5th March 1937. He is a Nigerian Army General and statesman who served as Nigeria’s Head of State from 1976 to 1979, and later as its President from 1999 to 2007. Obasanjo’s father was Amos Adigun Obaluaiyesanjo (Obasanjo) Bankole. In a statement released by his media department to mark the occasion, Hashim lauded Obasanjo’s contributions to Nigeria’s political…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. He reacted to the allegations on Wednesday at the resumption of plenary in the Senate, after a week’s recess. Dismissing the allegations, Senator Akpabio said, “At no time did I ever harass any woman. I was raised very well by my late single mother, and I have always upheld respect for women. I was even awarded the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria.” The Senate President, who said he had been inundated with calls on the matter since February 25, and that he was…

Japan battled its worst wildfire in half a century on Wednesday in a region hit by record-low rainfall, as wet weather gave hope for some relief. The blaze around the northern city of Ofunato has raged for more than a week, killing one person and forcing nearly 4,000 residents to evacuate their homes. It has engulfed about 2,900 hectares (7,170 acres) — around half the size of Manhattan — making it the largest wildfire since at least 1975, when 2,700 hectares burnt in Hokkaido. Columns of white smoke billowed from a mountain through the rain and snow on Wednesday, AFP…

Nigeria has officially joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).  This addition brings the total number of EBRD shareholders to 77, comprising 75 national shareholders alongside the European Union and the European Investment Bank. In April 2024, Nigeria submitted its application to join the bank, which the EBRD’s Board of Governors approved in May 2024. This membership follows a pivotal decision made at the EBRD’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Samarkand, where an amendment to the Agreement Establishing the EBRD was approved. The amendment permits the gradual expansion of the bank’s operations to sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq, subject to…

First Bank will, today, conduct the groundbreaking ceremony for its new green-certified iconic head office building at Eko Atlantic City, Lagos. A statement by Ag. Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Olayinka Ijabiyi, said the 40-storey building project is designed to be the tallest building in Nigeria. “It will be an engineering and environmental delight due to its technologically advanced, eco-friendly and sophisticated construction which would set a new standard for the financial services sector in Africa,” the statement said in part. According to him, the groundbreaking ceremony signifies the beginning of a transformative journey…

A new report has revealed how vandalism has negatively impacted the operations of NLNG Limited at its Bonny Island facility, dragging down natural gas supplies by 80 per cent. The report by Bloomberg also noted that the needed gas supply has dropped by 80 per cent, leaving a meagre 20 per cent of the company’s needs being met by the few available facilities. Vandalism and sabotage have curtailed operations at the plant and curbed exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The revelation comes on the heels of a disclosure by the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Philip Mshelbila at the…

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday issued a two- week ultimatum to three oil companies to remit to the Federation Accounts about  $5,543,491.45 owed to the government.  Chorus Energy, Dubril Oil company Limited and Belema Oil admitted this before the subcommittee of the PAC investigating the non- remittance of about N9. 4 trillion in royalty to the federations accounts by 23 oil companies. Belema Oil was founded by Tein Jack-Rich, who contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries with President Bola Tinubu in June 2022. The Auditor General for the Federations, in its 2021…